


Whoops

by sheroars



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Babysitting, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Mischief, Not a Date, Shamless fluffs and awkward detectives, So Is a Date, uh oh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 09:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3564542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheroars/pseuds/sheroars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're gonna be late to date night Dad." </p><p>"Daisy I swear-"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whoops

They were the last ones in the office and practically falling asleep over the conference room table, whiteboards and table top covered in evidence from an older case that they were vainly trying to condense and memorize for court on Monday morning.  

Ellie gave first, slouching back in her chair and scrubbing her hands over her face. 

"I need a vacation." 

"I'm sure you have more than enough days saved away," He pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up.  

"Used up all of this year's paid leave you knob." She snipped and it dawned on him.  They'd only been on three cases together since Danny Latimer.  It felt like so much longer.  Alec looked at his watch.  Ten thirty on a Friday night. 

"Go home Miller." 

"You too.  Not like there's much else to do but wait." He nodded. 

"I'll clean up here.  Go." She rolled her eyes and helped.  As they walked out to their cars she took a deep breath and rubbed her neck.

"Does Daisy babysit?"

"Yah, she's been working nearly every time she's been up here."

"Could you ask her if she could mind Fred for a little bit tomorrow night?"

"She'd be glad too." He sent off a text just to be sure. He guessed right and gave a little self satisfied smile. 

"Good.  I need to get out."

"Bring him over around four then.  Where you off to?"

"Nowhere."

"What?"

"Can't really explain."

"Why not?"

"You can come if you want." She shrugged, unlocking her car.  "You'll need better shoes though."

 

~

 

"Dad I'm going to scream."

"What for?" Daisy pointed at her father's chest and raised an eyebrow.  "What's the matter?" He held up his hands in defeat and looked at what he was wearing.

"I laid out clothes for a reason.  No suits.  Not on the first date."

"It's not a date."

"Change.  Now."

"Into what?"

"The jeans and the grey tee shirt.  And the hiking boots you never wear."

"I don't even know where we're going." He was muffled as he walked back into his bedroom.  Daisy grinned and leaned on the door, watching Ellie pull up and wave as she got Fred out of his car seat. 

"Hurry up.  You'e going to be late to date night."

"Daisy I swear to-"

"Stop whining." She opened the door for the Millers. He emerged in appropriate dress and found the wee Miller giggling on his daughter's hip while the older women conversed about the little boy's schedule and how school and work were.  Hardy kissed the top of his daughter's head and held the door back open for Miller.  

"Be good Fred."

"Bye-bye,"

 

~

 

"Jesus Ellie." Alec wheezed.

"Nearly there." She snorted.  He only dropped her first name when he was really exasperated.  The poor chap had been following him up the trail for a solid hour now though.  Quietly for the most part.  Bless.  "You need the exercise anyway." 

"They're going to want to replace my heart all together." He sighed, catching up.  She had ditched the bloody orange jacket in her car and he had been trying hard not to stare at her shoulders in her purple tank top.  It was made harder in more ways than one when he caught the end of a tattoo on her shoulder blade.  Holy shit.  "Does Ellie Miller actually have a tattoo?" He mused as the trail and forest thinned out and he realized how high up they had climbed.  They were overlooking the city of Broadchurch.  The ocean was but a thin slice of the horizon.  The hill top was a massive grassy field.   

"Yep." She answered nonchalantly, dropping her bag and sitting down, tossing him a water bottle and a paper bag.  Fish and chips.  

"You don't seem the type."

"Boozed up Ellie Miller is the type."  

"You don't say." He drawled out, kneeling down and facing her.  "I see the appeal of this place." He gestured vaguely to the field.  The place seemed absolutely untouched.  Uninhabited.  

"Good place to be alone."

"Why did you-"

"I don't break out into hives being alone with you if you haven't noticed." He swallowed a bit harder than necessary and she smirked into her water bottle. "Sometimes it's nice to pretend you don't really belong to any of it." He took a deep breath and watched her watch the town.

"I'll don't understand why you stayed."

"I don't understand why you came back." They looked at each other.  Uh oh.  There was no work to hide behind.  No case to discuss.  They were achingly alone and temporarily loosened from all responsibility.

Holy shit it was a date.   

 

~

 

Daisy glanced at the dozing Fred in front of the TV and then at the clock.  Ten thirty.  Headlines stained the curtains before turning off abruptly.  Fred perked up almost instantly.

"Mumma?'

"I think so-" Daisy stood and peaked past the blinds, equally expectant and surprised at the image of her father bent over Ellie, mouth pressed firmly to hers.  "-c'mere Fred.  Let's do something funny."

 

~

 

Alec fumbled to unlock the door with one hand, the other still hovering over Ellie's back.  The house was dark and she shushed him when he opened his  mouth to offer a nightcap by smacking his side.  He stumbled and she followed since he had a hand in her belt.  He couldn't resist catching her chin and holding her still for one more kiss.  She was by no means pushing him away.  The lamp in the living room flickered on.  Ellie swore and pushed him off.  He thudded against the door again.  An armchair swiveled around.  Daisy had her arms crossed and was smirking.  Fred was perched sleepily on her knee, arms also crossed and looking rather grumpy. 

"Shall I get the hose?" She teased.  

"Did I break curfew?" Alec sighed.  Ellie burst out into slightly uneasy laughter and scooped up her waiting son.  

"Thank you Daisy.  How much do I owe you?"

"Can't really charge for the first date can I?"

"It wasn't a date." Ellie settled Fred on her hip and suppressed a smile.  

"Told you.  Go to bed." Daisy waved and disappeared down the hall.  Ellie took out a wad of pound notes from her back pocket and left them on the kitchen counter for her.  

"How did such a pleasant girl come from such bizarre parents Freddy?" The toddler stuck a thumb in his mouth and rested his head on his mother's shoulders.  She winced as his head put pressure on a new bruise on her collarbone.  She smacked Alec's arm when he gave her a smarmy kind of grin.

"So I'll ring you Monday morning- before court."

"Okay," He was barred from coming any closer, Fred's free hand pushing on his jaw.  They snickered.

"Not a date," He insisted to the boy who was glaring at him sleepily.  He was the one depriving him of bed bath and story with Mummy. The child took no excuses.  "I'll take her to dinner and bring her back before nine next time, yah?"  He seemed placated (or bored) and removed his hand.  Ellie blushed in the lamp light and he had to catch his breath and she pecked his cheek.   

"Bye,"

"Bye,"   

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt me to write things. I love these suggestions I've been getting.


End file.
